By:   Melanie Votaw

Is your sex life barely breathing? Could it use some CPR? If so, you're far from alone. Few couples manage to keep a high level of passion after the novelty has worn off, and most need a jump start at some point to get their hearts pumping fast again. 

But the last thing you want to do is react like the majority of couples: Cheat, break up, or resign yourself to a life of sex that's as exciting as watching paint dry.

Unfortunately, most people believe the only way to quicken their pulse is to find a new partner, but that's a myth – and a very destructive one. All you may need is a transfusion of a little romance and seduction to resuscitate your relationship. 

So as soon as your eyes start to wander, it's time for emergency measures. Just don't call 911. Instead, bring back a little bit of the "thrill of the chase."

You remember "the chase" – that anticipation you felt while the two of you were dating. "Will he kiss me?" "Will she finally make love with me tonight?" Once a couple has become sexual, the mystery is dissipated, anticipation flies out the window, and it's easy to lose interest. We jump into bed, often skip foreplay because we're tired, and use sex as nothing more than a way to release tension. Intimacy becomes an after-thought.

The key is to stop rushing through sex and have fun again, prolonging the tension until you want each other as much as when you were dating. 

Here are ten ideas that can be heart-stopping … but in a good way!

1. Call me Michelangelo.
   One of the best ways to rediscover your partner's beauty is to play sculptor, running your fingers slowly over his or her body while your eyes remain closed. (If you can't resist peeking, wear a blindfold.) When you explore the curves, angles, muscles, bones, and skin without visual input, figure flaws will no longer be flaws at all. Start with the face and work your way down. Don't skip the spots you rarely touch. This is the time to give those neglected areas some attention. You may even discover a new erogenous zone in the process. Resist the urge to kiss until you reach your lover's feet and until you've both had a turn. Remember that the goal is to build anticipation until you can't wait for your lips (and other body parts) to merge.
2. Fabio, eat your heart out.
   Find a romance novel cover that you like, and replace the faces with photos of the two of you. Then, read the book aloud together, pretending you're the characters. You probably won't need to read far before you'll be turned on – after you stop giggling, of course.
3. Time for your close-up.
   The romance novel idea is only one type of role playing that can give your sex life a much-needed jolt. A variation is to obtain a film script of one of your favorite movies and act out a sex scene, or simply watch the movie together and improvise. Here's an example: 9-1/2 Weeks has a famous hot scene with Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger where they play seductively with food. Whatever you choose, make sure it's a film that turns both of you on, and if you're especially daring, turn on the camcorder, too.
4. No autographs, please.
   Another way to role play is to spend a night pretending you're celebrities or famous lovers. Go out, acting like you imagine they would act, kissing like you would imagine they would kiss. You might feel silly, but that's part of the fun.